Kokand Halva

Kokand, in Uzbekistan’s Fergana Valley, is known as a place where halva is made. The word halva covers a wide range of ingredients, and even the sweets that bear this town’s name include versions made with milk cream and nuts and versions made with roasted flour.

Versions with Roasted Flour, and Versions with Cream or Milk Powder

A resource introducing regional food describes one Kokand example as a sweet that combines roasted wheat flour and butter with a sweet syrup and nuts. Roasting the flour gives the grain a toasty aroma. Binding the flour and nuts with the sweet liquid and fat creates a mixture that can be cut into pieces and eaten.

On the other hand, an Uzbek tourism guide introduces a Kokand halva made with cream, with chocolate and nuts added. In another example, for home cooks, sugar and water are boiled and mixed into butter, and milk powder is added before the mixture is packed into a mold. Pistachios are pressed into the top, and when it is chilled and cut, it becomes a soft sweet with a milky flavor.

These ingredients are not the same, and the town’s name alone cannot pin the sweet down to a single recipe. Even compared with tahini halva, which is based on a paste of ground sesame, the choice of ingredients is diverse.

From Tea Hospitality to Souvenirs Abroad

In Uzbekistan, guests are welcomed with fruit, nuts and sweets set out with tea. Producers in Kokand have spoken about their efforts to package local sweets and deliver them as souvenirs. In 2024, halva from the local company Avvali was delivered to Oman, where it also appeared in sweet shops. In 2026, the name “Kokand halva” was reportedly registered as a geographical indication in Uzbekistan.

Glossary